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Friday, August 26, 2011

My house insurance is due for mid September so I got my renewal notice recently.

I have bought my house insurance from the same company for 41 years. I have dealt with three or four different agencies. I have never felt comfortable with the agency I've been with for the last twelve years. They are downright difficult to deal with. They won't let you talk to who you want to. So I decided to change agencies. I had phoned ahead and asked about changing. They assured me that they could make the necessary adjustment to my notice and that everything would be OK as long as they could do a house inspection.

I got taken back to the corner office to see the guy who does house inspections because I didn't want a house inspection on general principles that it was an invasion of privacy. I had done my homework on the house inspection. Everyone from the privacy commissioner to the local police superintendent thought that a home inspection for house insurance was over the top. So the guy in the back corner said let's see what I can do for you before I do an inspection . So he started from square one to make up my policy and of course came up with a much higher quote than I had before. He further said that this might change after the home inspection.

So I went home and started researching. I found his new quote to be in the ball park with other quotes. What I found was that other quotes were willing to stand by their quote without a home inspection. My company is the only one doing home inspections. Now the reason he upped my policy was because he upped the value of my house. I did not like his evaluation and then started trying to find out if I had to go with his evaluation or could I get a lower evaluation. So I find that some agents will let you have a lower valuation for your house and others will not. You have to take their evaluation or nothing

I was also appalled that he would not stand by my original quote from his company.

Since I have been with the same company for many years I was not aware of the nitty gritty of the industry. I have learned some lessons. I will have to ask more questions. So be sure to ask if you have to take their evaluation or can you set your own evaluation. I know that this evaluation is replacement cost. I am willing to gamble on replacement cost a bit. I could afford to add to the replacement of my house.

So I'm off to look for another agent. My time with this agency was very brief. I suppose they helped me learn about insurance by trying to sell me more insurance than I wanted.